Why didn’t the PM know?

May 16, 2023

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Thanks for reading Ottawa Playbook. I'm your host, Kyle Duggan. Today, a star witness takes the stand on foreign interference, an unlikely feminist duo in South Korea and Alberta’s polling narrative pulls a 180.

DRIVING THE DAY

Conservative MP Michael Chong rises during question period on May 3, 2023.

Conservative MP Michael Chong during question period on the Hill, May 3, 2023. | Sean Kilpatrick, The Canadian Press

ALL EYES ON PROC — The Canadian lawmaker at the center of the stunning Chinese interference scandal is set to take the microphone tonight and lay out the facts with precision detail. Conservative MP MICHAEL CHONG will tell procedure and House affairs how he suddenly found himself in the middle of an international intimidation campaign leveled against him and his family.

He’s not doing the media circuit in advance of the hearing and it’s not clear whether he intends to scrum after, but it does sound like he’ll have some conclusions to share.

Chong is known as a thoughtful contributor to public debate in Canada and a stand-up parliamentarian. When he speaks, partisans of all stripes listen. He’s not normally the object of major controversy, especially one so big it results in the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat.

— What’s at stake: The independence and integrity of Canada’s parliamentarians. The proper-functioning of Canadian intelligence and national security. The safety of Canadians with family overseas.

— What to watch for: If new information comes to light. Whether Chong’s opinions on how MPs should be included in discussions around Canadian intelligence come to the fore (more on this later). How he feels about the whole affair and Parliament’s response to it. Where the blame goes: on to the broken machinery of government or the prime minister. And if the committee decides on its next steps with the study.

— Worth noting: Journalist Stephen Maher writing for the Walrus mulls five options to combat foreign meddling in elections — from a much-discussed foreign influence registry to stepping up the role and powers of the commissioner of Canada elections.

— Will this all get sorted out today? No.

Know someone who could use Ottawa Playbook? Direct them to this link . Five days a week, zero dollars.

For your radar

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol delivers a speech.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol at the presidential office on August 17, 2022. | Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

ODD COUPLE — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is an unabashed feminist. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is not. Yet, Trudeau’s office touted gender equality as a “shared priority” for both leaders before their meeting in Seoul this week, ahead of the G-7 summit.

It’s a fishy claim after Yoon rose to power last year with an anti-feminist agenda that put the country’s Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on notice to be nixed. Global Insider raised the discrepancy during a briefing call with senior Canadian government officials Friday about Trudeau’s upcoming trip.

— Canadian shrug: “We have our priorities, and the government of the day in Korea has its priorities,” a senior government official said about the “shared priority” claim. “It would be a mistake to think that there are closed ears on either side on different issues.” The official provided the briefing to reporters on condition of anonymity.

— Hard and soft power: Yoon’s recent U.S. visit brought South Korea’s security and defense concerns to the fore — and his rendition of Don McLean’s “American Pie” gave people something else to talk about other than a world leader’s position on feminism.

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

— Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU is heading to Seoul.

— Foreign Affairs Minister MÉLANIE JOLY and Industry Minister FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE are also in South Korea.

— Via CP: Justice Minister DAVID LAMETTI is set to make an announcement this afternoon about how his government plans to reform Canada's bail system.

— Saskatchewan Premier SCOTT MOE will share his province's plan to get to net zero — by 2050.

12 p.m. Deputy Prime Minister CHRYSTIA FREELAND appears at the House standing committee on finance to discuss the budget implementation bill.

NDP Leader JAGMEET SINGH will speak to reporters before attending Question Period.

3:30 p.m. Natural Resources Minister JONATHAN WILKINSON will be at the House natural resources committee.

6:30 p.m. Conservative MP MICHAEL CHONG will be at the House procedure and House affairs committee.

Talk of the town

TRIVIA IN WILD ROSE COUNTRY — Playbook has a venue for our first-ever trivia night outside the nation's capital.

We've crafted six rounds of brain stumpers tailor-made for the sharpest political minds Calgary has to offer.

Join us May 23 at the Hose and Hound Neighbourhood Pub. First round starts at 7 p.m. We’ll have a special guest quizmaster to ask a round of questions.

RSVP here. Don't delay. Sign up today!

ALBERTA WATCH

T-MINUS 13 DAYS — Monday morning in this space, we suggested fresh numbers from Abacus Data would set the week’s media narrative. It had the NDP leading province-wide.

— Never mind: A new poll from Janet Brown Opinion Research shows the United Conservative Party winning 56 seats to 31 for Alberta’s NDP. The poll was conducted for private clients, but the details were quick to spill.

In the words of political scientist LISA YOUNG: “News of a leaked Janet Brown poll sent Alberta’s chattering class into a flurry of Twitter DMs all along the lines of “WTF is going on??”

The Star’s KIERAN LEAVITT tweeted, “Ooooo how the polls don’t matter until they do.”

— The methodology: “I understand it’s shocking, but other polls have historically underestimated conservative voters, and my methodology does reach more conservative voters,” Brown told DON BRAID of the Calgary Herald.

For example, Brown explained, she uses live telephone interviews and works to connect with hard-to-reach people. “We’ll attempt to call a phone number five times at different times of the day.”

— The response: The NDP says Brown’s poll is an outlier.

— Confused? You have company. “I have no clue what’s going on in the election at the moment,” Young (the poli sci prof) wrote to her substack readers.

— Coming Thursday: UCP Leader DANIELLE SMITH and Alberta NDP Leader RACHEL NOTLEY will square off in a debate.

HALLWAY CONVERSATION

CLEAR-EYED ANALYSIS — Playbook reached out to national security expert STEPHANIE CARVIN, associate professor of international affairs at Carleton University, about what to watch for out of Chong’s testimony later today and for a big-picture view on foreign interference. The interview was edited for length and clarity.

Is there anything you’re interested in hearing from MICHAEL CHONG that we still haven’t heard yet?

What actually happened to him and his family, that’s a part of it.

I’d like to know — pretty much everyone is in agreement he should have been told this was happening — what he would like done about it in terms of improving communications with MPs. Chong has been very outspoken in his criticisms of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians. I wonder if this is going to play into his belief this should be a proper committee of Parliament — if this would have helped. He’s been someone who is very interested in how intelligence is briefed to parliamentarians, so I’ll be interested to know if this factors into his arguments.

Have there ever been spy agency leaks like this before in Canada?

Not that I am aware of. We’ve definitely had commissions into things — MAHER ARAR, even the Public Order Emergency Commission where we’ve seen how the sausage is made, but never just had information leaked to the press like this. There were stories strategically leaked about Arar way back in the 2000s, but nothing on this scale.

What about in terms of the security implications of the leaks? VINCENT RIGBY, former national security adviser to the prime minister, told CBC the leaks are “undermining national security.”

When someone gives you [an intelligence agent] information, you promise to protect that person’s identity at all costs. And the concern is if this information gets out, will someone who seeks to be a source no longer trust the service because they’re afraid any information they give may ultimately end up in the Globe and Mail? And that’s a very real thing. It’s not to be taken lightly because people put their lives on the line.

Or alternatively, methods. It’s fairly well established now that CSIS is tapping the lines of Chinese diplomats in the country. You’d have to assume China felt that was happening but the fact is it’s now fairly well established, so they’ll take countermeasures, which will make it harder to collect information it was previously collecting. In that sense, (Rigby) is fundamentally correct. If there is any benefit of this, questions are being asked.

Why doesn’t the PM know these things? It’s because the system of intelligence distribution in this country is broken. There are no formalized mechanisms to bring intelligence into policy making and up the chain. When I say the prime minister likely didn’t know, it’s not to exonerate him. It’s to point out the fact that he’s sat on a broken system now for eight years, and been warned multiple times by many different groups of people this is no longer acceptable.

Do you think we’ll learn anything more out of the study?

My hope is they will diagnose some serious problems. I’m hoping they can trace what happened and point out the areas where something might have been done, or what would be needed to ensure something was done, like why doesn’t this information get to the prime minister? … What is it that we are doing that we aren't seeing? They should be able to report on that. There’s an element of transparency that would be welcome. One of the key things the government could do on this file is be far more transparent than it is.

MEDIA ROOM

— The Canadian Press reports: Wildfires in British Columbia have all of Fort St. John on alert, nearby areas on evacuation order.

— The Star follows up its scoop with news that Stellantis warned Trudeau last month that it might scrap a C$5-billion EV battery factory in Windsor if Ottawa refused to match subsidies given to Volkswagen.

— A special report from POLITICO's BEN LEFEBVRE and ZACK COLMAN: A crucial climate technology provokes fears in oil country.

— The Hill Times features VANDANA KATTAR-MILLER and a tribute to JASPREET PANDHER, who died of cancer in January. “Jas would not want us to be sad; instead, he would want us to remember that the work we get to do in serving Canadians is a privilege, and the time we get to do it is short.”

— Calgary Herald reports: Death threats, racist messages to Calgary Liberal MP GEORGE CHAHAL and family reported to police.

— “Maybe, when this is all over, it’s time for a post-mortem on what this strike was all about and can collective bargaining be done differently?” KATHRYN MAY writes in the latest edition of The Functionary.

— For Maclean’s, KATIE UNDERWOOD speaks with SARAH-ÈVE PELLETIER, Canada’s first sport integrity commissioner.

— Over on Policy Options, SOPHIE MATHIEU considers what lessons the rest of Canada can learn from Quebec on creating early childhood spaces.

PROZONE

For POLITICO Pro subscribers, our latest policy newsletter from ZI-ANN LUM: Chamber CEO chides ‘Amigos’ on USMCA.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks during a meeting with Japan's Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks during a meeting with Japan's Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki at the G-7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors' Meeting. | Pool photo by Kazuhiro Nogi

In news for POLITICO Pro subscribers:
— Yellen meeting with bank CEOs scheduled for Thursday.
— U.S. Chamber chief presses U.S., Canada, Mexico to honor trade pact.
— Turf fight holds up tax accord with Taiwan, complicating chip-making expansion.
— Signature, Silicon Valley Bank executives to defend roles in collapses.
— WHO: Artificial sweeteners linked to diabetes, death.

PLAYBOOKERS

Birthdays: Liberal MP SEAN CASEY is 60! HBD + 2 to THE NARWHAL, which just turned five.

Spotted: Bill C-13, which seeks to modernize the Official Languages Act, heading to the Senate. Bill S-5, stuck waiting around for its vote.

Liberal MPs BERNADETTE JORDAN, GUDIE HUTCHINGS. KARINA GOULD, GINETTE PETITPAS TAYLOR and ANDY FILLMORE seen at a Shelter Movers event at the Met.

At the Business Council of Canada’s North American Business Summit in Washington: U.S. Chamber President SUZANNE CLARK, CIBC CEO VICTOR DODIG, Martinrea International exec ROB WILDEBOER, TC Energy CEO FRANÇOIS POIRIER, Canadian Pacific Kansas City CEO KEITH CREEL, Procter Gamble Canada President GERALDINE HUSE, along with HEATHER SCOFFIELD, GOLDY HYDER, TOM CLARK, AMY CASTLE and too many others to mention.

Former Senator JACK AUSTIN, in conversation with KATE MALLOY about his memoir, Unlikely Insider … COREY HOGAN of The Strategists’ pod with a passport proposal.

Speaker ANTHONY ROTA, rising to defend Standing Order 31s and to request MPs in the House to cram it while other members are talking. “I want everyone to pay attention and listen to the S.O. 31s. They really do mean a lot to each and every one of us — and to the people back home.”

MP ROSEMARIE FALK, using her S.O. 31 to pay tribute to SONJA HANSEN, who is retiring from the Hill. “Starting her career on the Hill in 1979, she has remained a constant in these halls, outlasting MPs, leaders, prime ministers and even some political parties,” she said.

MP LENA DIAB, dedicating her time in the House to her daughter, MONICA, who will receive a PhD this spring in engineering. “As a member of the Standing Committee on Science and Research, I know the importance of research and having strong women in science,” Diab told MPs.

Movers and shakers: Green Party Co-Leader JONATHAN PEDNEAULT is a candidate in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Westmount byelection; ANNA GAINEY was chosen last night to run there for the Liberals.

In memoriam: DEB HOPE, a former anchor and reporter at Global BC, has died. From Global’s obituary: “For two generations, Hope was one of the most iconic faces in B.C.”

On the Hill

→ Find the latest on House committee meetings here.

→ Keep track of Senate committee meetings here.

9 a.m. The Senate Indigenous peoples committee will meet to study Bill C-29 with Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief BOBBY CAMERON, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief CATHY MERRICK, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President NATAN OBED and others.

9 a.m. The Senate national finance committee meets to study Bill C-47 with the company of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Federation of Independent Business and Canadian Bar Association.

9 a.m. The Senate transport and communications committee meets to study Bill C-47.

9:30 a.m. Senators TONY DEAN, GWEN BONIFACE and DAVID RICHARDS will be at the Senate rules committee meets to speak on committee structure and mandates.

10:30 a.m. Sen. PIERRE DALPHOND holds a press conference in West Block to present a bill to establish an international day for tax cooperation and justice.

11 a.m. MICHAEL SABIA, LISA RAITT and PATRICK BROWN will be at the House transport committee’s meeting studying McKinsey’s role in the creation of the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

11 a.m. House Speaker ANTHONY ROTA and Intergovernmental Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC will be at the House procedure and House affairs committee’s morning meeting to talk about main estimates.

11 a.m. The House science committee meets to continue their study of the government’s graduate scholarship and post-doctoral fellowship programs.

11 a.m. The House foreign affairs committee meets to take Bill S-8 through clause-by-clause consideration.

1:30 p.m. Teamsters Canada and representatives from the Canadian Trucking Alliance and Association du camionnage du Québec hold a press conference in West Block to declare a crisis in Canada’s trucking sector.

3:30 p.m. Natural Resources Minister JONATHAN WILKINSON will be at the House natural resources committee, with nine senior department officials, to discuss Main Estimates.

3:30 p.m. The House national defense committee meets to continue its study of the military health system and services under the Canadian Forces Health Services Group.

3:30 p.m. The House human resources committee meets to continue its study of the financialization of housing.

3:30 p.m. The House official languages committee meets to study increased Francophone immigration.

4:45 p.m. Transport Minister OMAR ALGHABRA is in Detroit to make an announcement with U.S. Transportation Secretary PETE BUTTIGIEG, Michigan Gov. GRETCHEN WHITMER and Detroit Mayor MIKE DUGGAN related to the first Canada and United States Alternative Fuel Corridor.

6:30 p.m. Conservative MP MICHAEL CHONG will be at the House procedure and House affairs committee.

6:30 p.m. The Senate energy committee meets to study Bill C-47.

7 p.m. The Senate fisheries committee meets to study Bill C-47 with Shipping Federation of Canada president and CEO CHRIS HALL.

— Behind the scenes: The special joint committee on the declaration of emergency meets to review a draft report. The House ethics committee will be in camera to discuss business.

TRIVIA

Monday’s answer: HELEN (MA) ARMSTRONG was a labor activist and a key player in the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike.

Props to GEORGE SCHOENHOFER, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, BOB GORDON, GERMAINE MALABRE, GORDON RANDALL, ALLAN FABRYKANT and BILL WATSON.

Today’s question: In the “Birds of Canada” bank note series, the $1,000 bill was originally intended to feature a spruce grouse. What ended up on the bill instead?

Send your answers to ottawaplaybook@politico.com.

Want to grab the attention of movers and shakers on Parliament Hill? Want your brand in front of a key audience of Ottawa influencers? Playbook can help. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.

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